Why Buy at Empire Shoes?
1. Empire Shoes features the very best brands of quality footwear.
2. Empire Shoes staff is certified in fitting shoes. We have on site an advanced Aetrex foot evaluation and fitting computer. Owner Richard Charnley is a Certified Pedorthist, and is qualified to fit, adjust and make custom orthotics. Appointments are available for evaluations and complimentary fittings. Call us for a complementary custom fitting appointment at 530.477.2444.
3. Empire Shoes is a locally owned and operated business, committed to keeping Nevada County a great place to live and work. We give back to our customers with our VIP Shoe Club, where when you buy 11 shoes, the 12 pair is free! (see terms) Join Empire Shoes VIP Club when you visit our store.
Richard Charnley, Pedorthist and Owner
Richard Charnley founded Empire Shoes in 1997. He studied for his Pedorthist Certification at Okl
oma State University. This Certification provides in-depth background in the anatomy of the foot, orthotics and shoe fitting.
“I have always wanted to offer the best brands that support feet and provide the foundation for a long, trouble-free healthy lifestyle. Improper fitting can harm many different parts of the body and create a wide range of health problems. We focus on the best shoes for foot type, orthotics and insoles. Starting out with a computerized foot scanning, we quickly identify potential problems and fit each customer based on their input. Testing helps us find the brand that is designed for the optimum fit for your specific foot.” notes Charnley.
Richard Charnley works with local podiatrists to build specific orthotics. “There is a saying in horse racing-‘no feet, no legs, no horse.’ For people, it may not be quite so radical, but unhappy feet certainly make for an unhappy person. We can fix this, in many cases quite simply.”
On the personal side, Richard loves the outdoors and raised his two grown daughters in Nevada County. An avid fly fisherman, he has fished near Parks Bar long before this became a popular destination.
The Union Readers voted the Best Shoe Store in Nevada County Empire Shoes in 2011.
Our brands include- Shoes: Acorn, Ahnu, Brooks, Dansko, Ecco, Hafflinger, Keen, Merrell, New Balance, Noat, SAS, Spenco, Taos, Teva. Accessories: Aetrex, AmeriBag, DownUnders, Kavu, Lynco, Smartwool, Wigwam. All our products are handpicked from dozens of manufacturers for durability, comfort and style. We stand by the quality of each product we sell.
Our Empire Shoes Sales Associates
Each Empire Shoes sales associate has received extensive training in fitting shoes.
This includes direct instruction from Richard Charnley as well as on-site shoe-fitting clinics from virtually each shoe manufacturer in the Empire Shoes Collection. Online website education is also provided, making Empire Shoes uniquely qualified to answer questions, establish a proper fit and suggest the most appropriate shoes for each customer’s individual needs.